Aristotelia plant named &#39;Pretoria&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Aristotelia chilensis  plant named ‘Pretoria’ that is characterized by its vigorous evergreen plant habit and its slightly glossy leaves that are dark blue-green in color.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant patent applicationsfiled for a plant derived from the same breeding program that areentitled Aristotelia Plant Named ‘AZ50’ (U.S. Plant patent pending)*,Aristotelia Plant Named ‘Sobresale’ (U.S. Plant patent pending)*, andAristotelia Plant Named ‘VB1’ (U.S. Plant patent pending)*, *(Applicantgives the examiner the authority to replace (U.S. Plant patent pending)*with Plant patent application Nos. with a Patent No. if applicable anddelete this statement.)

Botanical classification: Aristotelia chilensis.

Varietal denomination: ‘Pretoria’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAristotelia chilensis and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivarname, ‘Pretoria’. ‘Pretoria’ represents a perennial evergreen shrubgrown for landscape use.

‘Pretoria’ was discovered by the Inventor as a chance seedling in atrial garden in Pitrufquen, IX region de la Araucanía, Chile in Januaryof 2017. The field had been planted with numerous unnamed proprietaryseedling plants from the Inventor's breeding program. The parentage istherefore unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished bysoftwood stem cuttings by the Inventor in summer of 2017 in Pitrufquen,IX region de la Araucanía, Chile. Asexual propagation by stem cuttingshas determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stableand are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Pretoria’ as a unique cultivar of Aristotelia chilensis.

1. ‘Pretoria’ exhibits a vigorous evergreen plant habit.2. ‘Pretoria’ exhibits slightly glossy leaves that are dark blue-greenin color.

‘Pretoria’ can be most closely compared to the Aristotelia chilensiscultivars ‘Variegata’ (not patented), ‘AZ50’, ‘Sobresale’, and ‘VB1’.‘Variegata’ differs from ‘Pretoria’ in having leaves that are lightergreen in color and variegated. ‘AZ50’ differs from ‘Pretoria’ in havingyoung foliage that is yellow-green, mature foliage that is dark green incolor and a more open plant habit. ‘Sobresale’ differs from ‘Pretoria’in having a slightly narrower plant shape, more yellow-green coloredyoung stems, yellow-green young foliage and more glossy mature foliagethat is dark green in color. ‘VB1’ differs from ‘Pretoria’ in havingyellow-green branches and yellow-green young foliage.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Aristotelia. The photographswere taken of a 24-month-old plant (after a single pruning 3 weeksprior) of ‘Pretoria’ as grown in an unheated greenhouse in a 27-cmcontainer in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of‘Pretoria’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close up view of the young foliageof ‘Pretoria’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the mature foliageof ‘Pretoria’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Aristotelia.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 24-month-old plants of‘Pretoria’ as grown in an unheated greenhouse in 27-cm containers inNoordwijkerhout, The Netherlands (after a single pruning 3 weeks prior).The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Plant type.—Perennial, evergreen shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Obovate.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 96 cm in in height and 49.8            cm in spread, reaches 3 m in height and 2.5 m in spread as a            mature plant in the landscape.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 8.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility and resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.        -   Root development.—An average of 60 days for root initiation            with a young rooted plant produced in an average of 4            months.        -   Growth rate and vigor.—Moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem color.—Young; 143C, mature; 146A, occasionally tinged            197A, internodes; 146A, occasionally tinged 197A, old bark;            NN137C to NN137D.        -   Stem size.—An average of 25.5 cm in length and 2.75 mm in            diameter.        -   Stem surface.—Young and mature; slightly glossy and covered            with a very thin wax layer, 188C in color, old bark; densely            covered with lenticels, an average of 1.5 mm in length, 157A            in color.        -   Stem aspect.—Average angle of vertical to 45°, varying            between 40° and 50°.        -   Internode length.—An average of 4.5 cm.        -   Branching.—Freely branching with an average of 1 main branch            and 20 lateral branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate to narrow ovate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite to near opposite.        -   Leaf aspect.—Moderately to strongly undulate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Obtuse to acute.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute to bluntly acute.        -   Leaf margins.—Serrate.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color; upper surface N148D, lower            surface 145A to 145B.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 11.9 cm in length and 5.5 cm in            width.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf number.—An average of 12 (6 pairs).        -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface; smooth and glabrous, lower            surface; smooth and glabrous with small tufts of hairs on            the vein axils.        -   Leaf color.—Young foliage; upper surface NN137A, young lower            surface 146B, mature foliage; upper surface between 147A and            N189A, covered with a very thin waxy layer 188A, mature            lower surface NN137D.        -   Petioles.—An average of 2.9 cm in length and 2 mm in            diameter, strong, upper surface color 178A, lower surface            color 145A and slightly tinged with 178A, upper surface            matte, lower surface slightly glossy and slightly to            moderately pubescent with hairs an average of 0.3 mm in            length and too small to measure color.-   Inflorescence description: No flower production produced to date on    plants available for data collection.-   Fruit and seed: No production observed to date on plants available    for data collection.

It is claimed: 1: A new and distinct cultivar of Aristotelia plant named‘Pretoria’ substantially as herein illustrated and described.